Callum's feeling 22...

It may seem as though most of my blog is dedicated to birthdays. It's starting to seem this way to me too, but I couldn't not write about my wonderful Callum turning 22 - and doing it in style with a good old fashioned English rainy barbecue.



Gazebo party! Callum and family whipped up an amazing barbecue feast, and there were many cocktails (I may have helped out with this part) and live music courtesy of 'All the Clever Lines'.

They may be a band made up of family friends, but they're not your typical dad-band. They're pretty darn good, and had us all standing out in the rain all night, without minding a bit. They even let Callum have a go, which actually wasn't the disaster we were expecting from his previous karaoke dalliances *cough high school musical*.

Special mention also has to go out to the other band who formed specially to perform their own interpretation of Taylor Swift's '22'...

...and Callum's incredible speech (written by me and McGuigan, filled with awkward stories and inappropriate poetry).

This is quickly becoming one of my favourite birthday traditions...apart from the cocktails and cake, obviously. I might leave you with a recipe or two at the end, after a few more snaps from the night.

So. Sweet.

The best fondue ever. Made inside the bread. OMG. 

Cheese-gasm.

Bathroom Selfies. Had to be done.

One of the most photogenic people ever, Mark.

Twerking. I think...

Callum's interests are apparently quite well known...

Callum is one of my favourite people in the world, and his party, despite being slightly damp, was amazing. Big thanks to the Thomas family and everyone else involved. Hope you're having an amazing time in Amsterdam Cal!

The Bar

The amazingly well stocked bar. I ended up going off menu for most of the night, but I like how fancy the board looked. You can find the recipe for the ginger and lemongrass martini's here. I'm going to give you some fab shot recipes.

Red White and Blue Shots

These are so simple, and make you look like a pro. All it takes is grenadine, blue curacao, and either vodka or sambuca. I used vodka, because sambuca is awful in my opinion. Pour a bit of grenadine in each glass, then pour the curacao down a spoon sitting just on top of the red layer, then the vodka/sambuca down the spoon on top of the blue layer. Pour slowly so they don't mix, and the different densities mean they'll sit one on top of the other (I think if you use sambuca it will sit in the middle, where vodka sits on top). Easy Peasy.

Brain Haemorrhages

These shots look amazing. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures, but they should look like this:

(Credit here)

How I make them:

Fill a shot glass about 2/3 full with sambuca. Using a bar spoon, dribble Bailey's onto the top (to get the brain effect do it in a few drops). Then pour in using a speed pour. You want a quick drop so it pulls down the Bailey's a bit with it (if you don't have a speed pour put a bit on a spoon and  then drop it in from a height, it has the same effect). These are definitely going to be whipped out at halloween - maybe with some blue curacao to make them 'Alien Brain Haemorrhages...

I learnt a very similar shot in South Africa that uses Frangelico and Amarula (no grenadine), stomach-churningly called the Soweto Toilet (eugh), but it is delicious, and, if you have the ingredients should definitely be tried.

Happy Shotting!

The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

          There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and talking over its head. 'Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse,' thought Alice; 'only as it's asleep, I suppose it doesn't mind.'

          The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: 'No room! No room!' they cried when they saw Alice coming. 'There's plenty of room!' said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.

          'Have some wine,' the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.

 

I've had a life-long love affair with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and so when the invitation to a Mad Hatter's Tea Party dropped through my (facebook) letterbox I could not have been more excited. The party was for a friends birthday, and she did not disappoint on the theme. There was croquet with flamingo mallets covers, cocktails in tea cups, and an assortment of mad hats. 

My ridiculous head-gear was home-made, painstakingly hand-painted the night before, only to remember my lack of artistic talent, and swiftly covered in feathers...(the effort paid off though, and I came home with the prize for the best hat!).

Unfortunately in true British style the weather quickly turned sour with torrential rain, and so the garden party was relocated into the house, which could only mean one thing: Party Games! Like Pin the Grin on the Cheshire Cat...

Some were better at it than others...

And the (potentially a bit racist?) 'Be Your Hat Game'...

Followed by many more cocktails, and a pretty fab tea selection of mini afternoon tea staples.

And, of course, birthday cake and champagne!

The drinks continued to flow long into the night, and everyone had an amazing time catching up on our post-uni lives and our plans for the summer. I can't wait for the next reunion. Happy Birthday Hannah!